UNDERDOGS

Set in rural Ohio, the birthplace of football, UNDERDOGS is the story of a small-town high school football team destined to play their cross-town rival, a perennial powerhouse, while standing up for an entire community.

Bobby Burkett is the promising quarterback for the Knights, but his Division Four school has never made a playoff appearance until Coach Vince DeAntonio’s arrival. Their gruff new coach recruits a talented but insecure receiver and gives a juvenile delinquent offensive lineman a second chance. When Bobby falls for rival cheerleader Renee Donohue, a battle for more than a championship begins with the Falcon’s “golden boy” quarterback John Hanford III.

Meanwhile, Bobby’s father is being sued by his former employer and town patriarch John Hanford II over the intellectual rights to a revolutionary new energy saving product. With their home at stake, things look grim for the Burketts… until rumors of Hanford Corp’s move to Mexico surface. Now with hundreds of manufacturing jobs at stake and their honor to defend, the Knights represent the entire community as they face the Falcons in a “Game Of Champions” that becomes bigger than the state finals.

Like Hoosiers, Rudy and Facing the Giants, this is a movie about beating the odds and rising to the challenges both on and off the field. UNDERDOGS will be filmed entirely in the Akron/Canton area and will feature local personalities and locations. The film will be directed by Canton native Doug Dearth and D.B. Sweeney plays the coach.